Sam Gascoyne

The family of a local man who went missing from the Royal Derby Hospital on September 23 have issued an emotional appeal for their son to let them know he’s safe.

The last known whereabouts of missing Ricky Hill, 30, of South Normanton (formerly of Somercotes) was at the hospital on Uttoxeter New Road on Tuesday, September 23, at 8.30am when he was allowed outside by hospital staff for a cigarette, he then left the hospital and has not been seen since.

He was last spotted on CCTV footage leaving by the Royal Derby Hospital via the Uttoxeter Road entrance.

Worried father Steven Hill made an emotional plea to his son to let him and the rest of his family know that he’s safe and well.

He said: “We just want to let Ricky know that he’s not in any trouble at all. “We all want to know that he’s safe and sound for the sake of the whole family.

“Everybody has been out all hours searching everywhere for him, people have been posting flyers everywhere in Amber Valley and across Derby.”

Steve was last with his son only hours before he went missing from the Derby Royal Hospital.

“I left his side at the hospital’s a&e department at around 2.30am on September 23.

“I was planning to come back first thing in the morning as Ricky was due to be interviewed by the hospital’s mental health team later that day.

“It was earlier on that morning when I received a call from the hospital saying that he’d gone missing.”

Ricky is described as white, of medium build, with short blonde hair and tattoos on his left arm.

He was last seen wearing grey jeans, a grey v-necked fitted jumper, a black TN cap and black-and-grey Nike trainers with three stripes down the side.

He was also wearing a wristband supporting the armed forces and a wedding ring on his left hand.

Police say they are growing increasingly concerned for Ricky and are appealing for him, or anyone who has seen him to contact Amber Valley CID on 101.